With Odorizzi and Myers being promoted to AAA earlier in the season, the AA team in NW Arkansas is devoid of any really talented players. Many of the current Royals has been on the AA team over the last couple of years. Moustakas, Hosmer, Duffy, Holland, Herrera, Crow, Perez and Giavotella to name a few. It is a little tough to find any true impact/everyday players on the AA team right now.
Probably the obvious choice for best player would be Christian Colon. I just don't get the excitement around him besides being a 1st round pick. Here is a comparison of Colon's and Giavotella's at similar levels and ages:
| Gia | Age | AVG | OBP | SLG | Colon | Age | AVG | OBP | SLG | |
| A+ | 21 | 0.258 | 0.351 | 0.380 | A+ | 21 | 0.278 | 0.326 | 0.376 | |
| AA | 22 | 0.322 | 0.395 | 0.460 | AA | 22 | 0.257 | 0.325 | 0.342 | |
| AAA | 23 | 0.338 | 0.390 | 0.481 | AA | 23 | 0.285 | 0.361 | 0.415 |
Am I supposed to get excited for a player that looks to be worse than Gia?
The problem is that he is by far the best position player on the team. Who else is going to take that title? Johnny Whittleman? Sharlon Schoop? Nick Van Stratten? Carlo Testa? Yem Prades?
The pitchers aren't any better.
There are basically 3 starters that have been starting regularly since the season began and are still on the team, Justin Marks, Chris Dwyer and Noel Arguelles.
Name: K/9, BB/9, ERA
Marks: 7.8, 4.6, 3.64
Arguelles: 3.8, 4.9, 6.75
Dwyer: 8.0, 5.7, 6.04
Dwyer has the hype around him, but this is his 3 season in AA and his stats have gotten worse each year:
Year, K/9, BB/9, ERA
2010: 10.2, 5.1, 3.06
2011: 8.0, 5.0, 5.60
2012: 8.0, 5.9, 6.04
Arguelles had some hype around him after he signed a few years ago, but he is basically useless right now with a BB/9 greater than his K/9. He has been watching Sanchez pitch.
Marks looks to be the best of those 3, but how much excitement can be generated by a player that is pitching worse in AA than Luke Hochevar is pitching in the majors.
The only reliever that seems to be producing at all is Michael Mariot with a K/9 near 10 and sub-3 BB/9. Too bad he is giving up 2.2 HR/9.
After looking through this team, it just does not have many talented players on it. Colon is probably the best, but when a sub-standard Giavotella is the best player on the team, the talent level is pretty low.
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